First Impressions
by InkSkye
Summary: Modern Day Pride and Prejudice. Lizzie Bennet is young, smart, and doesn't need a man to define her. She is finishing college and building a career. However, no matter how hard she tries, she can't avoid the drama, romance, and heartbreak that seem intent to follow her.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One - In Which the Mansion Gains Occupants

_It is a truth universally acknowledged that a young single adult living at home is in want of some damn privacy! _

The door to the bathroom banged open, rebounding off of the wall. From my position in front of the mirror, I turned my head to glare at the intruder. My second youngest sister, Kitty, was not phased in the slightest.

"Kitty, really?" I griped, at least grateful I had a towel wrapped around my post-shower body. My hair was still dripping water on my shoulders and the opened door let in an unwelcome gust of cool air.

"What?" she snapped, moving around me to rummage through a drawer. She was only fifteen, in the prime stages of "the world revolves around me" syndrome. My nostrils flared. It was way too early in the morning for this! I hadn't even had my coffee yet.

"Out!" I exclaimed, pointing at the door. Kitty didn't budge, still looking for something in the drawer. I tried taking a deep breath, but that did nothing for my annoyance. "Kitty, I mean it!"

"Blah blah, I'm almost done." She found what she was looking for, a hair tie. She then proceeded to grab a brush and fix her hair into a side braid (all the rage since The Hunger Games, you know). I watched her expertly thread her fingers through her light brown hair, but with each movement my temper flared.

"Ugh!" I growled, grabbing my hair dryer and brush and storming out of the bathroom. I stomped down the hall to the bedroom I shared with Jane and slammed the door.

"What in the world are you doing?" inquired Jane, sitting up in bed. I glanced at her sleepy face and tousled golden hair, immediately feeling terrible for making so much noise. I dropped my hair dryer on my bed.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you up?" I asked, even though the answer was obvious. Jane, however, sat up and ran slim fingers through her hair.

"No, no, you're fine," she lied. I rolled my eyes, because we both knew she was lying. She smiled and got out of bed, stretching her arms toward the ceiling. "Who barged into the bathroom this time?"

"Kitty," I told her, pulling on clothes. A pair of nice jeans, comfortable but lacy (ha, as if anyone would ever even see it!) bra, and cute flowing blouse. I began to dry my hair with the towel. "I can't even get a minute alone in the bathroom without being rudely disturbed!"

Jane smiled understandingly, even though my tone was childish and whiny. I took a few more breaths and felt my heart rate slowing. I ran the brush through my hair and gave Jane another apologetic look.

"I really am sorry for waking you up," I said. Jane waved my apology away, sitting down on her now neatly made bed. I held up the hair dryer. "Mind if I do this real quick?"

Of course Jane didn't mind, or was too kind to say otherwise, and in minutes my hair was dry and falling around my face in warm curls. I glanced at the time on my phone and felt a rush. I was running late, of course. Darting around our room, I gathered my bag, laptop, jacket, scarf, and quickly donned a pair of earrings.

"I'll see you tonight," I said to Jane, who nodded drowsily and wished me a good day. I shut our bedroom door and headed down to the kitchen, hoping we had coffee brewing. Just outside the door to the kitchen, I heard my parents' voices.

I halted, trying to be as still as possible. My mother's voice was raised, which wasn't really surprising, but what _was_ surprising was the fact that she was talking about Netherfield Mansion, a vacant, million dollar home on the hill. The owners had lost the house when the recession hit and it had been empty for three years.

"-simply must stop by! The renter is a young business man from New York! I heard he's a millionaire. Well, he must be if he's renting Netherfield!"

My father's voice, deep and rumbling, cut off my mother's. "Dear, I'm not going to go barging up to this mansion and-"

"He would be a perfect husband for Jane! Or any of the girls, really." My mother persisted, conveniently forgetting that three of her daughters had yet to graduate high school. Her voice was getting higher by the second, which was a sign that she was running out of breath. I rolled my eyes, but waited to hear what my father said.

"You want Jane to marry this stranger just because he's a millionaire? What if he's ugly or secretly a serial killer?"

"Richard, don't joke! I'm serious!"

I decided now was a great time to interrupt the conversation, so I made my way into the kitchen, setting my things on the counter and heading to the cupboard to grab a coffee mug. "Morning, dad, mom," I said, shooting Dad a smile. He winked back, straightening the newspaper in front of him.

"Lizzie, dear, leaving so early?" Mom asked, bustling over in her pink flowered robe. Her hair was still in curlers, but she'd done her makeup. I poured coffee into the mug and went to the fridge to add creamer.

"Yep, I have to get to work early today so I can go to that lecture this afternoon." I worked part time at a graphic design firm, mainly as the secretary, but recently my manager had been giving me more responsibilities, including some actual designing. I was still finishing up my degree at the university, though, which kept me rather busy.

"Darling, I think you are going to run yourself ragged. Look at those bags under your eyes," Mom protested, her hands on her hips. I frowned; I hadn't thought my under-eye bags were that noticeable. "And you haven't been on a date in months!"

"Mom, I've been a bit busy," I replied, twisting the lid on my coffee mug. I set it on the counter while I slid into my coat and wrapped my scarf around my neck. I grabbed my bag and coffee, then leaned down and kissed Dad on the cheek.

"Have fun at work," he said, still reading his paper. I walked around Mom to leave, but she apparently wasn't done with our conversation.

"Lizzie, you'll never get married if you don't date!" she said, following me down the hall. I sighed, but kept walking.

"Mom, I'm twenty two. I have all the time in the world to find a husband." My voice was monotone and I'd said these words numerous times to her. Under my breath, I mumbled, "If I even _want _a husband."

"What was that?" my mother snapped, gripping my arm. "Are you interested in girls?"

I glanced up at her and her face was thoughtful. She probably wouldn't mind if I was a lesbian as long as I adopted some adorable grandchildren for her. I almost wanted to keep going, but I really needed to get to work.

"No, I like men," I told her, rolling my eyes. "I just don't have time for one right now!"

"But-"

"Mom! I am going to be late!" I finally said. I gave her a quick, one-armed hug to lessen the sting of my outburst, and then darted towards the door. "I'll see you tonight!"

"Lizzie! Over here!"

I glanced around the bustling cafe and finally spotted Carly, my best friend, waving at me from a table by a window. Her long, braided black hair was wound around her head and tied with a sparkling orange scarf. How could I have missed that? I gripped my bag and hurried over to meet her.

"Oh my god, Carly, I am so glad you could meet up today!" I gave her a tight hug and we both sat down in the booth. "It's sort of been a day from hell, if you know what I mean."

Carly laughed and pointed to a glass by by elbow. "I ordered you an iced coffee. I thought you might need the caffeine."

"Thank you!" I grabbed the glass and took a huge swig. "I had the pickiest client today, you would not believe."

"I probably would," she replied, giving me another smile. Carly worked in graphic designing as well, so she knew what difficult clients were like. I nodded, laughing.

"Yeah, you're right," I said. The waitress showed up and we placed our orders. As soon as the waitress was out of earshot, Carly leaned in with a twinkle in her eyes and a conspiratorial look on her face.

"Lizzie, have you heard about Netherfield?" she asked, excitement vibrant in her voice. I groaned and slouched into my seat.

"Oh, not you, too!" I moaned, brushing some stray hair from my face. "It's all my mom wanted to talk about this morning. Well, that and guilting me for not being married."

"It's kind of exciting though!" Carly persisted. Her brown skin glowed in the light coming in from the window and she took a sip of her drink. "I heard that the renter moved in yesterday! A millionaire bachelor from Manhattan!"

"Ok, can we tone it down a little?" I begged, massaging my temples. "What does that have to do with us at all?"

"Well, we might see him around town," Carly said, but I gave her a pointed look and she pursed her lips. "Ok, fine, we probably won't ever meet this mysterious guy. But a girl can dream, right?"

"Carly, don't be stupid. You'd never marry just for money," I said, giving her one of my I-know-you-better-than-that glares. Carly rolled her eyes so hard I thought she might give herself a headache.

"Fine, fine. You're right, as always," she mumbled, but then her lips turned up into a smile again. "But I wouldn't mind falling in _love_ with a rich guy!"

"Oh, shut up," I laughed. "We're too busy for relationships."

"Speak for yourself!" Carly said. "I'm not single by choice. There just aren't any hot guys around here."

I snorted again, but thankfully Carly gave up the subject as our waiter delivered our lunch. I practically inhaled my turkey avocado sandwich, having forgotten to grab something for breakfast this morning. Too much excitement over this Netherfield mystery man.

I was just shoving the last bite into my mouth when Carly's phone dinged, announcing a text message. She pulled it out of her purse and looked at the small screen. Then she coughed on her soup.

"Liz, look!" She thrust the phone into my line of site and my eyes focused on a text from one of those promotional, six digit numbers.

**All the King's Men is performing at Club Chaos tonight! Band starts at 9 PM**

I felt Carly's excitement seep into my own body. I glanced up at her wide grin and even wider eyes.

"Lizzie, we have to go!" she practically shouted, drawing a few curious looks from tables surrounding us. She was right, we had to see this band. We had both been fans since high school, but had never had the chance to see them live. This was exciting! But it was also a Thursday night.

"Well," I hesitated, thinking of how exhausted I would most likely be tomorrow. I didn't have class, but I would have work. I shook my head. I was being ridiculous. We were young, resilient people! I could bounce back from one night out! It's not like I would be drinking or anything, I was simply going to listen to the band.

"I know what you are thinking, "Carly said, forcing my attention back to her. "And I don't care, we're going, even if I have to drag you!"

I laughed, and waved my hands in the air, trying to wave away the idea of her dragging me anywhere. "No dragging necessary! Of course we have to go. And Jane will want to, too."

"Then it's settled!" Carly exclaimed, bouncing in her seat. For a moment, the years melted away and we were fifteen again. We had been positively obsessed with this group. Think One Direction groupies, only multiply them by ten, and you would have us at that age. I cringed just remembering.

"I'll come pick you guys up at eight! We can make sure and get a table right by the stage!" Carly was already tapping away at her phone, probably sharing the news with other friends. I glanced at my phone out of habit. Shit, I was running late again. Story of my freaking life!

"Sounds perfect! But I have to go, so I'll see you tonight, OK?" I gathered my things, yanked my coat back on, and stood up. Carly waved me good bye as I rushed through the cafe. If I was late for my lecture at the university, my professor would have my head.

As I hopped in my old, but reliable, car and cranked the heater on full blast to dispel the chilly October air, I couldn't help the smile on my face. After a long, hard week, I really was looking forward to some fun with Carly and Jane. Nothing would ruin tonight for me. Nothing!


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Hello, everyone! Thank you so much to all of you have had read and reviewed my story. I really appreciate it. We are on to Chapter Two now and this is where the story really starts to roll. I hope you enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Two - In Which We Met the Millionaire, the Snob, and the Heartthrob

* * *

"Have you seen my black dress? The one with the sequins?" I asked Jane, frantically flipping through the hanging items in our shared closet. We are rather close in size, so we share most of our clothing. I glanced over at her.

"No, sorry, I haven't," she said apologetically. She was holding up a mirror and applying her eyeliner with a steady, expert hand. Jane is a pro with eyeliner. Actually, she's a pro with anything to do with beauty. She graduated high school with her cosmetology license and works at a very high end salon in town.

"Oh, it's fine, I'll just wear this," I said with a sigh, pulling out a deep blue dress. It was sleeveless and rather form-fitting, hitting just above my knees, with a cutout back. Jane nodded approvingly.

"That color really brings out your eyes," she told me as I pulled it over my head and adjusted it over my body. Jane was already dressed in sleek black pants and a beautiful shimmering tank top. Her blonde hair spilled over one shoulder in perfect waves. I envy her beauty, but she always makes sure I look almost as good as her.

"Ready for me?" I asked, walking barefoot towards her.

"Yep, come site right here," she replied, softly pulling me down to sit opposite her on her bed. I closed my eyes as she applied makeup to my face. Her fingers brushed light as snowflakes across my cheeks, eyes, and lips. It was always extremely soothing for Jane to do my makeup.

Finally, she brushed one last bit of blush across my cheeks. "There you go," she said. I opened my eyes slowly to see her smiling. "You look gorgeous, Lizzie!"

"You're the sweetest, Jane," I answered honestly. No one on this earth could possibly dislike Jane; she was the type of nice, thoughtful person that genuinely loved helping people. Sometimes it made being her sister difficult, but again, I couldn't hold that against her.

My phone began ringing as well as vibrating violently on the top of my dresser. I rushed to grab it and answered the call, which was from Carly.

"Hey, we just got done getting ready," I said, no introduction or greeting necessary.

"Fabulous! I'm just pulling down your street!" Carly hung up and I slipped my phone into the small clutch I would be taking to the club.

"Here, wear these," Jane said, holding out a pair of gold wedge heels. She had donned a pair of strappy black platforms, making her tower over me. Minus heels, she was five seven, so with them, she was gorgeously tall. I grabbed the shoes and forced them on, evening out the height difference a little.

"Let's go, let's go!" Jane pushed me through the hall and grabbed coats for us. Excitement was bubbling up from her voice. I smiled and quickened my pace. Jane loved social events, even though she was somewhat reserved herself.

We rushed through the front door, waving at Mom, Dad, Kitty, and our youngest sister, Mary, as we passed by. Mom called out something, but we were making too much noise opening the door to really hear what she was saying. I'm sure it was something about finding a good man.

Jane graciously took the back seat and I sat shotgun next to Carly. As we drove down the dark streets, probably a little faster than we should have, I couldn't hold back my enthusiasm any longer.

"I really hope they do some of their older stuff," I said, turning sideways in my seat so that Jane could hear me as well. My dress was a little constricting around the middle, but I managed.

Jane and Carly both nodded. Then Carly said, "If they don't do 'I've Got You Now', I will probably die."

"Oh, I love that song!" Jane sighed, a nostalgic grin taking over her face.

Club Chaos was down a side street from the main part of town. As we neared, we saw more and more traffic. It was going to be a very crowded space tonight. Carly managed to find a decent parking spot about two blocks away, so we joined the steady stream of people making their way to the large, abandoned factory that had become Chaos.

Jane reached over and gripped my hand, partly so we didn't get separated and partly because I could tell she was bursting with anticipation. I stuck close behind Carly and we gathered around the front door where a bouncer was letting people in.

I was trying to be patient, but I couldn't help glancing around and getting some people watching in while we waited. The line only kept growing behind us as more and more people arrived. Most of the crowd were college students from the nearby university, although I didn't recognize anyone yet.

"Ooh, look at that hottie!" Carly whispered, her gaze focused about ten feet behind us. I followed her eyes, trying to be slow and discreet, to a tall man waiting in the line. His hair was dark, as were his eyes. He looked at his watch and an impatient frown graced his face. The jeans and button up shirt he was wearing looked like they cost more than my car.

I was about to respond to Carly, because she was completely right, but the bouncer was asking for our IDs. We all procured them and received hand stamps in the shape of a sun. Jane and Carly both gripped my arms as we entered the dark, noisy interior of the club. I managed to get one last glance of the dark haired man as they yanked me through the door, and I was surprised to be met by a cold, angry stare.

I flipped my head back around and shook it off. He can't have been looking directly at me, it was just a trick of the light.

We walked into the club and were met with the dim lights, crowded dance floor, and steady thrum and buzz of people's voices. An opening band had taken over the stage and our ears were assaulted as they started another loud song. I scanned the room for an empty table or a good place to stand.

"Oh, let's go stand over there!" Jane said, pointing to a small empty space near the stage. We held each other's arms tightly as we weaved in and out of the crowd of people, swerving to miss a few girls jumping up and down to the beat of the song. We made it to the far wall and I brushed a few strands of hair from my face, fanning myself a little. It was getting really warm inside the club, what with so many bodies so close together.

"I'll take our coats over to the coat check," Jane offered, already slipping hers from her shoulders. I gratefully pulled mine off as well, as did Carly. Jane gripped the bundle in her arms and quickly made her way across the club.

Carly was humming along to the song the opening band was playing, a cover of some Aerosmith record. I kept an eye on Jane as she walked towards the coat check. She was nearly there when another rush of people entered the club, blocking my view of her for a moment. When they finally passed, she was gone.

I tried to stand even taller, looking a bit frantically now. Where could she have gone? Suddenly, she was standing up, gathering coats in her arms. Had she fallen? Was she OK? Another person stood up as well, a tall, lean man with shockingly ginger hair. He reached out to touch her elbow, a small smile on his face.

Relieved that Jane was fine, I relaxed a little, leaning back into the wall. She stood there with the red headed man for a few more minutes, her kind smile lighting up her face. Even from here, I could tell that he was completely taken with her. I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help smiling, too.

"Hey, look, it's that guy from outside," Carly said in my ear, nodding her head in Jane's direction. Sure enough, the tall, dark haired man was approaching the red-headed man. His face, though finely featured and very handsome, held a tight expression that lessened his attractiveness fractionally. He approached and it looked like introductions were being made.

"He looks kind of sour," I commented to Carly, tilting my head a little. She snorted a laugh, gripping my arm.

"You're right! Maybe he just needs a few shots to loosen him up," she replied, still chuckling a little bit. Suddenly, Jane and the two men were making their way through the crowd and back towards our little corner. Carly's grip on my arm tightened painfully.

"They're coming our way!" she squeaked. "How's my hair? Is my makeup smudged?"

I gave her a quick glance and said," You look great, Carly, stop freaking out!"

I should have taken my own advice a little more. As the trio approached, I could feel my stomach turning into a bundle of knots. Meeting new people was not my favorite activity, especially grumpy-looking men who also happened to be nerve-wrackingly handsome. I forced myself to fix a calm, pleasant expression on my face (at least, that's what I was going for).

"Lizzie, Carly, I have some people for you to meet!" Jane exclaimed as she and the men finally reached us. The red-haired man was beaming from ear to ear, looking thrilled to be here. On the other hand, Mr. Darkness was scowling slightly, his hands in his pockets.

"This is Charlie Bingley, who has just rented out Netherfield," Jane continued, her eyes twinkling. Carly's quick intake of breath did not go unnoticed. "And this is his good friend, William Darcy."

"It's really a pleasure to meet you," Charlie said, stretching out a hand and shaking both mine and Carly's in turn. His eyes were a deep blue and I noticed his nose was slightly crooked, as if it had been broken before. He couldn't be more than 28, at the oldest! His face was so young and bright.

"It's good to meet you as well," I replied, as Carly was somewhat catatonic at meeting the young millionaire. Charlie let go of my hand and I offered it to William. He took it, quite reluctantly. He gave it a quick, firm shake and dropped it like it was burning him. I tried not to feel too offended, but I could feel a slight heat rising in my chest.

"We haven't met many people yet, as we're brand new in town," Charlie was continuing, making up for his friend's stony silence. "Jane, could I get you a drink at the bar? Would you girls like anything?" Charlie, who had been gazing fondly at Jane, remembered politely to turn to Carly and me as well.

"Oh, no, you two go ahead," Carly said, finally having broken out of her stupor. "We will just wait here, I'm loving this band!"

Jane shot her a grateful smile as Charlie gently took her by the elbow to lead her through the crushing crowd. Carly and I watched them go, also quietly watching William, who looked rather uncomfortable with these proceedings.

"Lovely to meet you," he said suddenly, his voice deep and slightly accented. Was that a British accent my ears were detecting? With that, he turned on his heel and strode gracefully through the crowd. As he vanished in the mass of people, Carly and I turned to each other with mouths dropped open in shock.

"Can you believe it! Jane met the Netherfield Millionaire!" Carly was squealing, her dark eyes wide. One of her long, black braids feel into her face and she brushed it away impatiently.

"And his friend is such a downer!" I replied, rolling my eyes. "'Lovely to meet you'," I mocked, faking the way his words were so delicately formed. We both burst into laughter, which was easily drowned out by the opening band's noise (I wouldn't really call it music).

"He's very nice," Carly said, gazing across the long room at Charlie and Jane. They had found a couple of empty seats at the bar and looked to be deep in conversation. "Although, still not quite as handsome as his friend. William Darcy, was it?"

"Yes, it was-Oh!" I gasped, a sudden realization hitting me like a freight train. "There's no way."

"What?" Carly asked, watching me with a somewhat frightened expression. I hurriedly pulled my cell out of the tiny clutch purse attached to my wrist and began tapping away at the screen. Sure enough, as soon as I entered William Darcy's name into Google, my suspicion was confirmed.

I wordlessly showed Carly my phone, registered her gasp as she snatched it away so she could have a better look. Then she looked wide-eyed up at me.

"No way. No _way_!" Carly exclaimed, shaking her head in disbelief. I couldn't really do much more than watch her eyes flick between my face and the glowing screen of my phone. "William Darcy, aka The Grumpy Englishman, is the creator of Klik-it?"

"I knew I recognized his name from somewhere," I finally managed to say, swallowing a lump in my throat. Klik-it was one of the most popular blogging and social media sites, one which Jane, Carly, and I all used obsessively. Finding out that the creator was a grouchy, stiff man with angry stares that could rival Draco Malfoy was turning my world on it's head. How could someone like that make something so awesome? It was an enigma.

"Unbelievable. He's even wealthier than Charlie Bingley," Carly said, dropping my phone back into my hand. I zipped it back into my clutch. "Well, I sure hope he was simply shy, because his attitude is seriously unattractive."

"Absolutely," I agreed, looking once more through the crowd. Jane and Charlie were still at the bar, but had also been joined by a tall, lithe woman with auburn hair similar to Charlie's. William had also joined their group. The new woman seemed to be trying to get him to sit next to her, but he resolutely shook his head. Well, at least he was cold to everyone.

Suddenly, I realized that the bar had gone quiet. The opening band had finished their song and now the lead singer was speaking into the microphone.

"And now, what you've all been waiting for, All The King's Men!"

The club erupted with the screams of everyone present. Even Carly and I let out a few screams as the band took their places on the stage. They were all dressed in dark denim and subdued colors. My eyes immediately went to the lead singer, George. He was tall and broad shouldered with sandy blond hair that flopped roguishly into his eyes.

Without any introduction, the band began one of their number one hits. The dance floor swelled as hordes of people rushed to join the dancing. Jane was suddenly beside me again, gripping my arm and jumping up and down slightly.

"They sound amazing!" she squealed into my ear. The three of us moved away from the wall a bit so that we could dance as well. For three wonderful songs we danced until I could no longer feel my toes in my heels and we were all gasping from the exhilaration, the heat, and a need for a drink.

"I'm going to go get a drink," I shouted to Carly and Jane, who nodded at me and kept dancing, their eyes glued adoringly at the band. I squeezed my way through the crowd, getting elbowed in the ribs once, but finally made it to the bar.

"Can I just get a water?" I asked the bartender, who nodded back. I wished I could have a margarita, but I forced myself to remember that I had to work early in the morning.

Waiting patiently for my water, I turned my head back towards the stage. The band was starting one of their slower songs and the atmosphere quieted slightly. It was then I heard a voice from behind me.

"I think I'm going to go ask Jane to dance." It was Charlie's voice. I forced myself not to turn around.

"Fine, I'll wait here." And there was Mr. William Darcy. His voice was quiet and velvety; I almost couldn't hear him above the music.

"Why don't you dance? You could ask her sister, Elizabeth? She's quite pretty!" Aw, Charlie, how sweet of you.

"I'd rather not. She's fine, but not anything special. Not enough to make me want to dance in that mess." Gee, thanks Will. I felt that warm heat bubbling up again in my chest and I almost turned around to show William that I had heard him. Once again, I forced myself to stand still and wait patiently for my water.

"Suit yourself, Will. You're missing out." With that Charlie was gone, racing through the crowd towards Jane. I smiled at that, watching as they began to dance. She looked so happy with his arms around her waist.

The bartender finally slid my water across the counter at me. I took a few huge sips; the cool water was a perfect balm for my parched throat and simmering anger. After a few minutes, I felt safe enough to turn and see if I could spot The Jerk anywhere near.

William was sitting at the end of the bar now, farthest away from the stage and dance floor. He was facing the bar, so his profile was to me, and his shoulders were hunched. He looked sad, actually. And angry. His brow was furrowed and his strong jaw was tense. For a moment, I forgot that he was a complete ass and almost wanted to go comfort him. Only a moment, however, and I quickly remembered what he'd said about me.

_She's fine, but not anything special_. Yes, thank you, for confirming my own negative thoughts. I really needed _that_ kick to my confidence. I rolled my eyes at my internal dialogue and took another sip of water. Forget William Darcy. He meant nothing to me.

I hurriedly finished my water and was just heading back to the dance floor when a group of giggling girls slammed into me. A specific form, clad in a -wait, was that _mine-_ sequined black dress, rammed into my side. I gasped, but grabbed the girl by the upper arms.

"Lydia!" I practically shouted. My middle sister let out a squeal, looking up at me with wide blue eyes. Her blonde hair was beginning to fall out of the up-do she'd secured it in. "What in god's name are you doing here?"

"Uh, listening to the band?" she replied, her surprised fading. "Duh."

"Did you _forget_ that you are underage!" I replied, furious. Lydia was only 17, a far cry from 21. She flinched, but regained her cool demeanor.

"So? It's not like I'm drinking or anything," she said, folding her arms in that stubborn way she always did when she got into trouble. I raised both of my eyebrows.

"Are you sure? You smell like you downed a whole keg of beer."

Lydia flushed, caught in her lie. "Come on, Lizzie."

"No, _you_ come on. We have to take you home." With that, I gripped her arm again and began dragging her through the dance crowd towards Jane. Jane would know how to handle this.

The song was upbeat again, so Jane, Carly, and Charlie were dancing together in a small group. I pulled Lydia towards them and tapped Jane on the shoulder. She turned, her eyes questioning, and I gestured sharply to Lydia.

"Lydia!" Jane gasped, shocked. "What are you doing here?"

"She's been drinking," I added. "I think we should take her home."

"Absolutely," Jane replied, nodding her head. She turned to Charlie. "Charlie, I'm so sorry, but my younger sister isn't supposed to be here. We have to go and take her home."

My anger at Lydia magnified. Not only was she here underage and making me miss one of my favorite bands, but she was ruining Jane's night with Charlie! They were hitting it off so well!

"Well, if you want, I could have my driver take her home? He would make sure she got there safe and sound," Charlie offered softly. His eyes were imploring and Jane seemed mesmerized by him.

"Are you sure? That's such a bother," Jane said. Lydia was turning red and I shot her a glare, cutting off anything she might have been about to say. While I was slightly worried about sending Lydia off in a strange car, there was something completely honest and trustworthy about Charlie.

"It's no trouble at all. He's not doing anything while I'm here." Charlie smiled at Jane and pulled out his cell phone, putting it to his ear. Within moments, we were shuffling through the front door and Lydia was sliding into a sleek black town car.

"I can't believe you guys are doing this to me!" she cried. Her face was the color of a plum from her anger.

Jane leaned down. "Lydia, it's against the law for you to be here. You could get into a lot of trouble. Now, go home. You need to be responsible and tell mom and dad what happened before we do." Her voice was soft and soothing and even Lydia's anger seeped away a little.

The town car pulled away and Jane turned to Charlie again. "Thank you so much, again. That was very nice of you."

"It's my pleasure," Charlie replied. He offered Jane his arm and they made their way back into the club. I followed behind them, peering through the dim lights to find Carly. She had stayed inside to listen to the band. My eyes found her and I hurried over.

"What drama tonight!" she exclaimed, grinning wildly at me. I rolled my eyes. Just then, the famous chords of 'I've Got You Now' began to echo through the club. Carly and I yelled wildly and joined the fray in jumping up and down on the dance floor.

***

An hour later, I had blisters on my toes and a stitch in my side, but I was also breathless from the dancing and excitement. The band was winding down and Jane and Charlie were now huddled together in a booth.

Carly slumped into my side, gasping for breath. I put my arm around her to steady her.

"I'm exhausted!" she exclaimed, putting one hand on her hip. I laughed.

"Me, too. Work is going to be hell tomorrow!" I grimaced just thinking about it. I quickly checked the time on my phone; it was just after one in the morning. Yes, tomorrow would be rough.

"And now, for our final song, grab a dance partner," the lead singer, George, was now speaking into the microphone. His speaking voice was just as rumbly and sexy as his singing voice. He began strumming on his guitar; it was another of their slow songs.

A young man with black hair asked Carly to dance, leaving me standing alone by the wall. I was fine with that, leaning my back against it and simply listening to the song. I lifted my heavy hair off my neck, welcoming a cool rush of air. Jane and Charlie were swaying together on the outskirts of the crowd. They really were a rather stunning couple.

I felt, rather than saw, someone walk up next to me softly and lean against the wall as well. I turned my head, shocked to see William Darcy a mere two feet away from me. Even more shocking, he opened his mouth and spoke to me.

"How has your evening been, Elizabeth?" His eyes were as dark as ever, which was frustrating, because I couldn't tell what color they were.

"It's been absolutely lovely," I replied, keeping my voice light and formal. "And yours?"

"Not bad," he answered, raising an eyebrow at me. I raised mine in response.

"Not bad? That doesn't sound like you've been enjoying yourself."

"I'm not exactly a fan of this group," William said, nodding his head slightly toward the stage. I forced a laugh back; of course he wasn't.

"This was my favorite band all through high school," I told him, feeling strangely open about telling him this detail of my life. "I still have a rather big soft spot for them."

William's face seemed to turn to stone, but he managed a nod. After a few moments of awkward silence, he took another step toward me. A mere twelve inches was between us and even through the heat of the crowd, I could feel warmth from his body radiating toward me.

"I apologize if my attitude was off-putting earlier," William said, now looking intently down at me. I stood still, watching his calm face. I was surprised by his apology, to be honest. He hadn't seemed to mind earlier that he had been an irritable jerk.

"Well," I said, trying to find something intelligent to say in response, "You certainly could work on your introductions."

I snapped my mouth shut, slightly mortified that I'd said that. William Darcy was a smart, handsome, exceedingly rich man! Definitely not the sort of person I should make a habit of angering. Sure enough, his face flushed and he looked woodenly down at his feet.

"It was nice to meet you, Miss Bennet," he said finally, in a tight, clipped tone.

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak again, and watched him walk away. This time, he walked out the door and into the dark night, disappearing completely from my sight. I was feeling immediately regret for having said what I had, even though I could have said much worse. The space beside me felt empty and cold now that he had left, something else that I strangely regretted.

The last song had finished without my noticing. I became suddenly aware of the crowds gather around the stage, people thrusting papers, hats, and hands at the band members to sign. Carly materialized out of the crowd and grabbed my hand.

"Let's go meet the band!" she exclaimed, dragging me across the floor. I didn't fight or argue and even managed to paste a smile on my face.

It took about ten minutes, but finally we were at the front of the line and there was the band, all four members looking like they had ten more sets in them. The energy from the crowd was obviously keeping them going and all of their faces were flushed.

"Can you please sign this for me?" Carly was asking, thrusting a folded up poster towards the lead singer, George. He grinned at us and whipped his sharpie over the page.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?" he asked us, winking at me. I flushed and we both shook our heads, a little starstruck. More girls crowded around and we were forced to back away or be trampled on.

"Look, how awesome!" Carly was pointing at her signed poster. I nodded and laughed at her excitement, for a moment forgetting the incident with William.

We found Jane, still with Charlie, near the back of the club. The tall woman was there with them and William had come back inside as well. I took a breath and straightened my back as we approached the group.

"Oh, there you guys are!" Jane exclaimed, a huge smile on her face. She was positively glowing. She and Charlie were standing so close that I almost couldn't see where she ended and he began.

"Elizabeth, Carly, meet my sister, Caroline," Charlie said, gesturing to the tall woman. She looked to be a couple years older than Charlie, but she had his same cream colored skin and bright blue eyes. She smiled pleasantly at us and nodded her head.

"How nice to meet you," she said. She sounded like an actress reciting lines, so practiced at being polite to people. I wasn't too surprised at her easy social grace, as she probably grew up surrounded by affluent people.

"Nice to meet you, too," I said and Carly smiled at her. I turned to look back at Jane. "Are you ready to go, Jane?"

Jane nodded and looked up at Charlie, who had a hand on her back. As she said good-bye to Charlie, I felt William's eyes on me again. I turned to look at him and met his gaze. His brow was furrowed and it didn't lighten at all when our eyes met.

I was forced to look away when Jane stepped in front of me. We all said good-bye and then Jane, Carly, and I walked through the door. Even though the cool night air was refreshing on my warm face, I could still feel William's eyes boring into my back.

"Oh, we forgot our coats!" I said suddenly, realizing this as a cold chill swept up my bare arms. "I'll go grab them."

Jane and Carly stood by the building as I rushed back inside to the coat check. I gathered all three of our coats and turned to go, colliding into someone and stumbling backwards. Strong hands gripped my shoulders and steadied me before I even had a chance to catch myself.

"Careful," said George (lead singer George!), his hands still on my shoulders. He removed them slowly.

"Thank you," I said, my voice hoarse. I tried clearing my throat, but something seemed to be stuck in it. He grinned, a dimple appearing in his cheek.

"Anytime. I saw you earlier, didn't I?" George asked. I nodded my head, still unsure if I could speak coherently. I gave my head a slight shake, reminding myself that I was not some silly teenager, and forced my most confident smile onto my face.

"Yes, my friend wanted you to sign her poster," I replied, tilting my head. "It was so nice of you, too."

"That's part of the job," George said with a chuckle. It felt so odd to be thinking of a semi rock-star by his first name; it was much too familiar, but also exciting.

"Well, it was nice to see you, again," I said, taking a step towards the door. "I have to get going."

"Leaving so soon?" George asked in a teasing voice. I laughed, shaking my head at him.

"It's late, you know. Especially for normal people with normal jobs in the morning." I found myself smiling widely at him and he was smiling back. He took a step towards me.

"I guess going out for a coffee is out of the question, then?" he asked, watching me with his brown eyes.

"Well, I doubt you could find a coffee shop open at this hour, but you have a plethora of girls who would gladly go with you to find out," I responded, gesturing to the room still full of people, especially women. Many of them were gazing enviously at me.

"What about you?" George asked, his smile all sly and suggestive. I almost had to pinch myself; George Wickham of my favorite band was choosing to flirt with me! I tightened my grip on the coats in my arms, feeling like I could float away from the strangeness of the situation.

"Maybe some other time?" I suggested. George seemed to realize that was the only answer he was getting from me.

"A rain check on the coffee, then," he agreed. He held out his sharpie towards me. "I'll be needing your number… and your name."

I chuckled, but was feeling rather daring by now. I grabbed the sharpie and wrote _Lizzie _followed by my cell phone number on his outstretched hand. The entire situation felt so middle-school that I couldn't help but shake my head.

"There," I said, handing George the sharpie. "And now, this Cinderella really needs to get to her carriage before it turns into a pumpkin."

"Later, then, _Lizzie_," George replied, shooting me one last look as I walked away. I headed towards the door, only to be stopped short by William Darcy! He stood right in my path and gazed down at me with those damned dark eyes.

"William, god! You startled me," I snapped, taking a quick step back to avoid walking into him. I thought he would simply move out of my way, but he didn't move a muscle. Wait, no, his jaw was twitching. Does that count as moving a muscle?

"Elizabeth, you should stay away from George Wickham," he said, so suddenly and so boldly that I honestly thought I was hallucinating. It took me a few seconds to realize he was waiting for a reply.

"Ok, thanks for the warning," I said, narrowing my eyes at him. "Can I go now?"

"I don't mean to intrude, I only say this for your benefit," William said, undeterred by the ice in my voice. He hesitantly reached out to touch my shoulder, but I took a step back.

"I don't know who you think you are, but I don't even know you. What makes you think you can just say stuff like that to people?" I was on a roll now, finally feeling the exhaustion settle in and replace the excitement of the night. "You, William Darcy, are insufferable. Now, move!"

To his credit, William did look slightly ashamed and he stepped slightly to the side. But of course, he spoke again. "I know I am practically a stranger, Miss Bennet, but I'm only trying to help."

"Help someone else," I snapped, walking angrily around him and through the door. William Darcy could kiss my ass!


End file.
